After political rivals, the Narendra Modi Government has come under fire from Shiv Sena over the rail fare hike with its oldest ally terming the move as akin to the common man being run over by train.
“Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda has in the first instance brought a steep fare hike and has run the train over the common man,” an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna said on Monday.
Noting that people had voted Narendra Modi to power to save them from inflation, the editorial said, “However, the Railway Minister increased passenger fares by 14 per cent and freight charges by 6.5 per cent. The Mumbai suburban commuters have to face a 100 per cent rise in fares.”
Wary of the adverse fallout of the Government’s decision in election-bound Maharashtra, the Sena said the Centre had given the Opposition “a tool to attack us”.
"If the same hike had been brought by the Congress, those who would have bombarded it with criticism and abuses are now in Government with a full majority,” it said.
“The new Government should now introspect how it hurled abuses at the previous Congress regime and honestly work towards improving the efficiency of the railways,” the editorial said, adding “people expect this should be the final increase.”
Earlier, terming the fare hike as ‘shocking’, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had on Saturday said he will speak to Modi and request for rollback.